Method and apparatus for multi-destination item selection using motes

ABSTRACT

Method and apparatus for multi-destination pick using motes. In embodiments, each receptacle may be assigned to a destination and may have a mote that may include an indicator that may be activated by a control system to indicate to the agent that the receptacle is the destination receptacle for a picked item. The agent may then place the item in the indicated destination receptacle. A mote may include a communication interface for communicating with a control system and with other motes in an ad-hoc network. In one embodiment, the mote on the destination receptacle may be activated when the picked item is scanned by the agent. In some embodiments, each receptacle may also have a sensor that detects when an item is placed in the receptacle to deactivate the indicator and/or to verify that the item was placed in the correct receptacle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to inventory selection systems, such as systemsfor selection of inventory for order fulfillment.

2. Description of the Related Art

Various types of enterprises may maintain inventories from which itemsmay be selected. For example, retailers, wholesalers, and otherdistributors of product (which may collectively be referred to asdistributors) typically maintain an inventory of various items that maybe ordered by clients or customers. As another example, manufacturersmay maintain inventories of parts, raw materials, and/or partially orfully assembled products. This inventory may be maintained and processedat a materials handling facility which may include one or more of, butnot limited to: warehouses, distribution centers, cross-dockingfacilities, order fulfillment facilities, packaging facilities, shippingfacilities, or other facilities or combinations of facilities forperforming one or more functions of material (inventory) handling. Whena customer places an order, one or several inventory items specified inthe order must be retrieved or “picked” from inventory and prepared fordelivery to the customer. To prepare the picked items for delivery, thepicked items may be delivered to any of a variety of destinations in thematerials handling facility, including, but not limited to, sortingstations and packing stations.

FIG. 1 illustrates a broad view of the operation of a conventionalmaterials handling facility. Multiple customers 10 may submit orders 20to the distributor, where each order 20 specifies one or more items frominventory 30 to be shipped to the customer that submitted the order. Tofulfill the customer orders 20, the one or more items specified in eachorder may be retrieved or “picked” from inventory 30 (which may also bereferred to as stock storage) and/or from other locations in thematerials handling facility, as indicated at 40. Picked items may bedelivered to one of one or more pick destinations 50 in the materialshandling facility for processing, such as sorting stations for sortingthe items into orders. These pick destinations 50 may include one ormore of, but are not limited to, sorting station(s) 54, queue(s) 52 forsorting station(s) 54, station(s) for other processing 58, queue(s) forother processing station(s) 56, and packing station(s) 60. Otherprocessing stations 58 that may be pick destinations 50 may include, forexample, various stations that provide value-added services. Examples ofvalue-added services may include one or more of, but are not limited to:gift wrapping, monogramming, battery charging, and so on. In general,any service or processing that may be performed on items after pickingand before shipping to the customer(s) may be a possible pickdestination 50 for picked items. Physical locations for these pickdestinations 50 in a materials processing facility may be referred toherein as “stations”. Note that a station may also receive items fromone or more other stations for additional processing.

Note that batching is one way for grouping multiple orders together forone pick destination 50. A materials handling facility may be configuredto operate as a batching or non-batching facility. In a batchingfacility, batches themselves may be considered pick destinations 50. Abatch may be viewed as a pick destination that comes into existence whena batch is created and disappears when the batch is finished andprocessed. In a batching situation, conventionally, pickers pick to asingle batch (or destination) at a time.

Some picked items may be delivered to a sorting queue 52 for a sortingstation 54 where the items may be sorted into their respective orders.Other picked items, such as items for priority orders, may bypass thesorting queue 52 and be delivered directly to a sorting station 54. Notethat sorted orders may be conveyed directly from a sorting station 54 toa packing station 60, or alternatively to another sorting station 54 foradditional sorting. While not shown, in some implementations, sortedorders may be conveyed to some other processing station 58 or processingstation queue 56 for additional processing before being conveyed to apacking station 60.

Conventionally, sorting may be performed using automated sortingmechanisms or manual sorting systems. Sorting stations 54 in a materialhandling facility may include one or more automated sorting mechanisms,one or more manual sorting stations, or a combination of one or moreautomated sorting mechanisms and one or more manual sorting stations.Automated sorting mechanisms for sorting certain types of inventoryitems according to individual orders include, but are not limited to,the Crisplant® sorter, Eurosort® sorters, and automated sortingmechanisms offered by other vendors. Using an automated sortingmechanism, batches or a stream of incoming picked items for multipledifferent customer orders are received at the automated sortingmechanism and sorted by the automated mechanism according to individualorders.

Different sorting stations 54 in a materials handling facility may beconfigured to perform sorts of different types and/or sizes of items ordifferent types or sizes of orders. As used herein, the size of an ordergenerally refers to the physical dimensions of the assembled items ofthe order and not to the number of individual items in the order. Thus,a pick destination 50 for a “batch” of picked items may be a particularsorting station 54 configured to sort that type or size of item, or thetype or size of orders for which the items were picked.

In some materials processing facilities, some picked items may bedelivered to a queue 56 for some other processing station 58 than asorting station 54 where additional processing of the picked items maybe performed, such as the performance of some value-added service. Otherpicked items, such as items for priority orders, may bypass the queue 56and be delivered directly to a processing station 58. Note thatprocessed items may be conveyed to a sorting station 54 or sortingstation queue 52 for sorting into orders or, alternatively, directlyfrom a processing station 58 to a packing station 60. Note that someitems maybe conveyed to some other processing station 58 for additionalprocessing prior to sorting and/or packing.

Some picked items, such as a group of one or more items making up acomplete order that does not require sorting or other processing, may bedelivered directly to a packing station 60. After packing, orders aredelivered to shipping 70 to be shipped to the customers 10.

Different packing stations 60 in a materials handling facility may beconfigured to pack different types and/or sizes of orders. As usedherein, the size of an order generally refers to the physical dimensionsof the assembled items of the order and not to the number of individualitems in the order. Thus, a pick destination for a “batch” of pickeditems may be a particular packing station 60 configured to pack the typeor size of orders for which the items were picked.

Note that a picked, packed, and shipped order does not necessarilyinclude all of the items ordered by the customer; a shipped order mayinclude only a subset of the ordered items available to ship at one timefrom one inventory-storing location. Also note that a materials handlingfacility typically also includes a receiving operation for receivingshipments of stock from various vendors and placing the received stockinto stock storage. Further, note that the various operations of amaterials handling facility may be located in one building or facility,or alternatively may be spread or subdivided across two or morebuildings or facilities.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary physical layout of a conventionalmaterial handling facility, specifically an order fulfillment facility,or center. At any time, one or more agents 42 of the distributor mayeach be picking items from inventory 30 to fulfill portions or all ofone or more orders. This may result in a stream and/or batches of pickeditems for multiple incomplete or complete orders, which may then bedelivered to various stations (pick destinations 50), for examplesorting or packing stations, in the materials handling facility forprocessing prior to shipping 70. A stream may be a continuous or nearlycontinuous flow of picked items arriving at a station, while groups ofitems arriving periodically or aperiodically at a station may bereferred to as batches. Note that portions of an order may be receivedfrom the pickers 42, or from other stations, at a station at differenttimes, so processing at a station may have to wait for one or more itemsfor some orders to be delivered to the station from picking and/or fromanother station before completion of processing of the orders.

Conventionally, a picker 42 picks items from inventory 30 for only onepick destination 50 at a time. For example, a picker 42 may beinstructed to pick items for one order at a time, or items for a batchof orders all going to one pick destination 50 (e.g., to a particularautomated sorting station, manual sorting station, packing station, orother processing station), or a list of items from various orders allgoing to a particular destination, etc. Thus, a picker 42 picks itemsfor one stream or process path for the items, delivers the picked itemsto their common pick destination 50, and leaves the processing andsorting of the picked items into their individual orders to thedownstream station(s). The picker then repeats the process for anotherlist of items potentially for a different pick destination 50.

The stream or batches of incoming picked items are processed at astation, for example sorted into their respective orders at a sortingstation. Once the processing of items for an order is completed at astation, the items may be delivered to another station for furtherprocessing, for example to a sorting station to be sorted into orders orto a packing station to be packaged for shipping 70. Note that an orderfulfillment center may also include one or more receiving stations forreceiving shipments of stock from various vendors. The received stockmay then be placed into stock storage. Further, note that the variousoperations and stations of an order fulfillment center may be located inone building or facility, or alternatively may be spread or subdividedacross two or more buildings or facilities.

Motes

The “core” of a mote is essentially a very small, low-cost, low-powercomputer with wireless communications capability that may be coupled toone or more external components of various types depending on theintended function of the mote. The computing core of motes may beimplemented on small circuit boards or cards, or even as single “chips”.Components of a mote may include, but are not limited to: a CPU, memory,and a radio transmitter/receiver, or other type of wirelesstransmitter/receiver. The core of the mote may include other componentssuch as an A/D converter for sensor data. This computing “core” of themote may be coupled to one or more other components including, but notlimited to: a battery or other power source, and an antenna. Currently,motes are typically powered by batteries, but alternatively may tap intothe power grid in certain applications. Other components, such assensors, may also be coupled to a mote.

A mote connects to the outside world via a wireless link. Since motestend to be small, low-cost, and low-power devices, low-power wirelesslinks are typical. The most common wireless links used in motes allowthe motes to transmit in a range of 10 to 200 feet (3 to 61 meters).Barriers to longer ranges of transmission include power consumption,size and cost. Note that some motes may be larger and/or may have morepowerful power supplies, and thus these motes may have more powerfulwireless links. Also note that technological advances and/or the use ofmore expensive components may provide some motes with more powerfulwireless links than typical motes.

All of these components may be packaged together in a small package.Note that this “package” that includes all of the components of the moteis what is referred to when the term “mote” is used herein. Currently,motes, including batteries and antenna, range from the size of a stackof five or six quarters to the size of a deck of cards. The battery istypically the biggest part of the mote. Much smaller motes are possiblein the future. As motes shrink in size and power consumption, otherpower sources, such as solar power or even vibration power, may beintroduced.

A programmer may write software to control the mote and to configure itto perform a desired function. Motes may be used in some applications tocreate ad hoc networks of anywhere from two to thousands of motes thatcan communicate with each other and pass data from one to another. Whena mote or motes are added to such an implementation, each mote “wakesup” and then sends out a radio signal to find its neighboring mote(s).The motes in the implementation may cooperate to create an amorphous,ad-hoc network to perform some task, such as collecting sensor data froman area to be delivered to a central mote or other receiving station.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of a method and apparatus for enabling multi-destinationitem selection (or pick) using motes in materials handling facilities,such as materials handling facilities used by distributors and/ormanufacturers, are described. In embodiments, pick density may beincreased by having agents of the materials handling facility pick itemsfor two or more pick destinations at once (which may be referred tohereinafter as simply destinations), thus performing at least somepre-sorting of orders during pick. In embodiments, each receptacle forreceiving picked items may be assigned to a destination and may have amote that may include or be coupled to an indicator that may beactivated to indicate to the agent that the particular receptacle is thedestination receptacle for a picked item. The agent may then place theitem in the indicated destination receptacle, thus avoiding mis-sorts.

Receptacles, as used herein, may include any fixed or mobile mechanism,object, fixture, shelf, container, bin, tote, basket, box, slot,compartment, etc. configured to receive picked items in a materialshandling facility. In some embodiments, one or more receptacles, such astotes or bins, may be mobile and thus configured to be placed on orremoved from a push cart, conveyor belt, roller, or other device forconveying the receptacles in the materials handling facility. In oneembodiment, receptacles may be compartments or subdivisions in, forexample, a bin, tote, or shelf. In one embodiment, a bin, tote, basket,or similar container, which may be subdivided into two or morecompartments each of which is a receptacle, may include integratedwheels, rollers or some other mechanism for conveying the container inthe materials handling facility. In other embodiments, the receptaclesmay be fixed, for example fixed to the floor or on a shelving unit.

In one embodiment, an agent of a materials handling facility may obtainlists of items to be picked for two or more destinations. The agent mayinteract with a control system via a communication device carried by theagent to receive the lists and to direct the pick process. In oneembodiment, the agent may be equipped with a cart configured to hold aplurality of receptacles such as storage bins, boxes or totes, oralternatively a bin, tote or similar container partitioned into two ormore compartments, each compartment of which is a receptacle. The agentmay obtain two or more receptacles, which may each be assigned toparticular destinations corresponding to the destinations assigned tothe agent, and place them on the cart. The number and arrangement ofreceptacles on the cart may vary. The receptacles may be mobile, and somay be removed from or added to a cart, moved to different carts,rearranged on a cart, delivered to a destination, passed off to anotheragent to continue the pick process, etc.

In one embodiment, a mote may include a communication interface forcommunicating with a materials handling facility control system and withother motes in an ad-hoc network. In some embodiments, each mote mayinclude or be coupled to an indicator, such as one or more lightemitting diodes (LEDs). In one embodiment, the indicator of the mote onthe correct destination receptacle may be activated when the picked itemis scanned, or otherwise entered or indicated, by the agent on theagent's communication device. The scanning device may communicate withthe control system to indicate which item was picked. The control systemmay then respond by sending a request message to activate the indicatorof the mote on the correct destination receptacle for the item. Eachmote may be identified by a unique code such that when a particular motereceives a message via its communication interface, it may responsivelyactivate its indicator. Other methods may be used to activate motes toindicate destination receptacles for picked items. In some embodiments,the indicator may be activated prior to the item being picked and/orscanned by the agent, for example as soon as the next item to be pickedis known.

In some embodiments, each receptacle may have a sensor (e.g., a motiondetector or RFID sensor) that senses when an item is placed in thereceptacle and that may be used to verify that the item was placed inthe correct receptacle. In one embodiment, the sensor may be coupled tothe mote with the indicator, or alternatively may be coupled to aseparate mote on the receptacle, and may be configured to communicatewith the control system to send messages when items are placed in thereceptacle. In one embodiment, the sensor may be integrated with themote on the receptacle. In other embodiments, the sensor may be separatefrom the mote on the receptacle. The sensor may detect placement of anitem in the correct receptacle and, in some embodiments, placement of anitem in an incorrect receptacle. In some embodiments, if placement of anitem in the correct receptacle is detected, an indicator on the mote maybe activated to indicate to the agent that the item was placed in thecorrect receptacle. In some embodiments, if placement of an item in anincorrect receptacle is detected, an indicator on the mote may beactivated to indicate to the agent that the item was placed in the wrongreceptacle.

In one embodiment, each receptacle may have a mote and sensor, but maynot include an indicator. In this embodiment, some other method than anindicator coupled to the mote may be used to indicate to the agent whichreceptacle is the destination receptacle for an item; for example,directions on which receptacle is the destination receptacle for apicked item may be provided to the agent through the user interface of acommunication device carried by the agent. In one embodiment, when theagent places the picked item in a receptacle, the sensor on thereceptacle may detect placement of the item, the mote may relay thisinformation to the control system, and the control system may thenindicate to the agent if the item was placed in the correct receptacleor in an incorrect receptacle, for example through the user interface ofthe communication device carried by the agent.

After the item is placed in the correct receptacle as indicated by theactivated mote, the indicator coupled to the mote may be deactivated. Inone embodiment using sensors, detection of the placement of the item inthe receptacle by the sensor may cause the sensor to send a message tothe control system, which may then send a message to the mote todeactivate the indicator. Alternatively, the sensor may send a signaldirectly to the mote to cause it to deactivate the indicator. Note that,in one embodiment, the sensor may be integrated with the mote. Otherembodiments may use other methods to deactivate the indicator on a mote;for example, motes may be configured to deactivate the indicator after atime interval, or each mote or indicator may include a button or switchthat may be pushed by the agent to deactivate the indicator.

Note that the motes in a materials handling facility may be configuredto dynamically cooperatively form an ad-hoc network that uses wirelesscommunication to send, receive, and propagate messages on the network.The motes may use each other's services to propagate packets (messages)on the ad-hoc network. A materials handling facility control system mayinclude one or more control stations configured to wirelesslycommunicate with the motes and with each other in the ad-hoc network, aswell as portable communication devices carried by the agents and variousother fixed or portable workstations or devices that also may beconfigured to participate in the ad-hoc network.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a broad view of the operation of a conventionalmaterials handling facility.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary physical layout of a conventional orderfulfillment facility.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of an agentpicking to multi-destination receptacles with motes in a materialshandling facility

FIG. 4 is a block diagram that illustrates an exemplary configurationfor a mote according to one embodiment.

FIG. 5A shows the mote illustrated in FIG. 4 attached to the outside ofa receptacle according to one embodiment.

FIG. 5B illustrates a receptacle with a mote, such as the exemplary moteand receptacle illustrated in FIG. 5A, with an exemplary item storedtherein.

FIG. 5C illustrates an exemplary tote partitioned into compartments,where each compartment is a receptacle, and where each compartment has amote, according to one embodiment.

FIG. 6 illustrates a receptacle with a mote and sensor but no indicator,according to one embodiment.

FIG. 7 illustrates agents delivering completed receptacles to multipledestinations in a materials handling facility according to oneembodiment.

FIG. 8 illustrates agents delivering completed receptacles to aconveyance mechanism for conveying the receptacles to multipledestinations in a materials handling facility according to oneembodiment.

FIG. 9 illustrates operations of an exemplary materials processingfacility implementing receptacles with motes and a control systemaccording to one embodiment.

FIG. 10 illustrates an exemplary materials processing facility thatimplements hoppers, with motes, adjacent to a conveyor according to oneembodiment.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a method for performing multi-destination pickusing receptacles with motes according to one embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart of a method for detecting and correcting errorsin placing items in destination receptacles according to one embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a system-level flowchart of a control system directing one ormore agents in picking items for multiple destinations according to oneembodiment.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of acomputer system.

While the invention is described herein by way of example for severalembodiments and illustrative drawings, those skilled in the art willrecognize that the invention is not limited to the embodiments ordrawings described. It should be understood, that the drawings anddetailed description thereto are not intended to limit the invention tothe particular form disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is tocover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within thespirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appendedclaims. The headings used herein are for organizational purposes onlyand are not meant to be used to limit the scope of the description orthe claims. As used throughout this application, the word “may” is usedin a permissive sense (i.e., meaning having the potential to), ratherthan the mandatory sense (i.e., meaning must). Similarly, the words“include”, “including”, and “includes” mean including, but not limitedto.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Overview of the Pick Process

Referring to FIG. 2, agents, or pickers, 42 may receive instructionsfrom the control system on a device such as an RF-connected wirelessterminal, handheld scanner, or other device, to go to locations ininventory 30 to pick a list of items from those locations. A picker 42typically scans a picked item to determine if the right item was picked.The picker 42 may then place the picked item in a receptacle forreceiving picked items. In some embodiments, the receptacle may belocated on or integrated with a mobile cart of some type. There may bemore than one receptacle on a cart.

Receptacles, as used herein, may include any fixed or mobile mechanism,object, fixture, shelf, container, bin, tote, basket, box, slot,compartment, etc. configured to receive picked items in a materialshandling facility. Receptacles may include one or more of, but are notlimited to, fixed or mobile bins, totes, baskets, boxes; compartmentswithin a partitioned bin, tote, basket, box or similar container; bins,totes, slots, boxes, containers, compartments, or some other form ofreceptacle on a conveyor belt; shelves or sections of partitionedshelves, either fixed or on a mobile shelving unit; wheeled containers;hoppers; induct lanes on an automated sorting mechanism; or in generalany device, object, fixture, container, slot, compartment, etc.configured to receive picked items in a materials handling facility. Insome embodiments, one or more receptacles, such as totes or bins, may bemobile and thus configured to be placed on or removed from a push cart,conveyor belt, roller, or other device for conveying the receptacles inthe materials handling facility. In some embodiments, receptacles may becompartments, subdivisions or partitions in, for example, a bin, tote,or shelf. In one embodiment, receptacles may be shipping boxes,packages, envelopes, or any other type of shipping container that isconfigured to be processed and shipped after all items for thedestination of the receptacle are picked and placed in the receptacle.In some embodiments, a bin, tote, basket, or similar container, whichmay be subdivided into two or more compartments each of which is areceptacle, may include integrated wheels, rollers or some othermechanism for conveying the container in the materials handlingfacility. In other embodiments, the receptacles may be fixed, forexample fixed to the floor or on a shelving unit.

Conventionally, a picker 42 picks items from inventory 30 for only onepick destination 50 at a time. For example, a picker 42 may beinstructed to pick items for one order at a time, or items for a batchof orders all going to one pick destination 50 (e.g., to a particularautomated sorting station, manual sorting station, packing station, orother processing station), or a list of items from various orders allgoing to a particular pick destination, etc. Thus, a picker 42 picksitems for one stream or process path for the items, delivers the pickeditems to their common pick destination 50, and leaves the processing andsorting of the picked items into their individual orders to thedownstream station(s). Conventionally, the pickers 42 do not match itemswith the right orders; the picker is instructed by the control system topick a list of items and to take those items to a particular pickdestination 50. The picker then repeats the process for another list ofitems potentially for a different pick destination 50.

One reason pickers 42 may be limited to picking for only one pickdestination 50 at a time is the added complexity and risk of having apicker 42 sort the items according to multiple pick destinations 50while locating and picking the items from inventory 30. Picking formultiple pick destinations introduces risk that the pickers 42 will makemistakes and thus deliver one or more items to the wrong pickdestinations 50. Such errors, if caught, have to be correcteddownstream, adding to the complexity of processing at the downstreamstations. For example, if a picker 42 is picking for two different pickdestinations 50 and placing the picked items into two differentreceptacles to be delivered to two different downstream stations, if anyitems are put into the wrong receptacle, someone at a downstream stationsuch as a sorting station will have to detect and correct the error. Ifthe error is not detected, the mis-sorted item(s) may potentially bedelivered to the wrong customer(s). Thus, picking for multiple pickdestinations may add complexity to both the pick process and to theprocesses performed at one or more of the downstream stations.

Note, however, that requiring pickers 42 to pick items from inventory 30for single pick destinations 50 at a time requires the pickers totraverse the inventory 30 to pick the items for each pick destination 50separately, reducing the efficiency of the pick process (referred to aspick density). The number of picks in a given space is higher, and theaverage distance between picks is lower, with higher pick density; thus,increasing pick density results in increased pick productivity. Allowinga picker 42 to pick for two or more pick destinations 50 at a time wouldallow the picker to pick more items in fewer traversals of the inventory30, increasing pick density. One solution is to allow a picker 42 topick items for multiple pick destinations 50 and place the items intoreceptacles, with one receptacle assigned to each pick destination,while requiring the picker 42 to scan the destination receptacle foreach item picked to help avoid mis-sorts. This requirement, however,adds complexity and time to the pick process, potentially making thepickers 42 less efficient. Picking to multiple receptacles assigned todifferent destinations also adds the risk of the agent placing itemsinto incorrect receptacles, which would then have to be corrected at thedownstream stations. If an agent places an item in the wrong receptacle,then one downstream station may receive a receptacle short one item,while another station may receive a receptacle with an extra item. Bothstations may then have to take action to correct the errors. Thus, asingle error during the pick process may generate problems at two (ormore) downstream processing stations that have to be corrected.

Materials Handling Facility Control System

A materials handling facility such as order fulfillment center 80 ofFIG. 2 may implement a materials handling facility control system, orcontrol system for short. A control system, such as control system 190of FIG. 9, may include hardware and software configured for assistingand/or directing agents in the order fulfillment center 80 in fulfillingcustomers' orders. Items in inventory 30 may be marked or tagged with abar code, Universal Product Code (UPC), Stock-Keeping Unit (SKU) code,serial number, and/or other designation (including proprietarydesignations) to facilitate order fulfillment center 80 operations,including, but not limited to, picking, sorting and packing. Thesedesignations, or codes, may identify items by type, and/or may identifyindividual items within a type of item. The control system may includehand-held, mobile and/or fixed scanners or scanning devices that may beable to scan, receive, or otherwise detect the marks or tags onindividual items and communicate with a control station or stations ofthe control system to determine and record the item and/or item type ofthe items.

The control system may be able to receive order information for eachorder specifying the item or items to be picked to fulfill the order.Each order may be assigned a unique order number for use in the orderfulfillment process. Item and/or item type information, includingassociated item and/or item type designations or codes and possiblyother descriptive information, may be entered into the control system bythe agent for each item picked from inventory. This information may bescanned into the control system from marks or tags on the items or,alternatively, manually entered. A combination of scanning and manualentry may be employed during picking.

Multi-Destination Pick Using Motes

Embodiments of a method and apparatus for enabling multi-destinationpick using motes in materials handling facilities, such as materialshandling facilities used by distributors and manufacturers, aredescribed. In embodiments, pick density may be increased by havingagents of the materials handling facility pick items for two or morepick destinations (or batches, in a batching facility) at once, thusperforming at least some pre-sorting of orders during pick. Pickdestinations may be referred to hereinafter as simply destinations.Conventionally, to perform multi-destination picking, the picker mayneed to scan the destination receptacle(s) for each item picked to avoidmis-sorts, adding complexity to and increasing the likelihood of errorin the pick process and thus decreasing productivity. In one embodiment,to eliminate the need to scan receptacles for each item picked, and tohelp prevent errors in the pick process that will have to be correctedduring downstream processing, each receptacle may be assigned to adestination and may have or include a mote which includes an indicator,such as a light emitting diode (LED), which is activated to indicate tothe agent that the receptacle is the destination receptacle for a pickeditem. The agent may then place the item in the indicated destinationreceptacle, thus avoiding mis-sorts. In one embodiment, each receptaclemay have or include a sensor that senses placement of items in thereceptacle, and that may be used to detect and correct errors (e.g.,placing a picked item in an incorrect receptacle) during themulti-destination pick process, thus reducing or eliminating the need tocorrect picking errors during downstream processing.

Note that “activate” and “deactivate”, when used in relation to motesand indicators herein, implies that the indicator is caused to turn on,turn off, or otherwise modify some signal or indication to the agent(e.g. to turn on or off a light, to change the color of a visualindication, to display or change a text message, to emit, change, orcease an audible signal or message, etc.) in response to some action ordetected condition to thus provide information and/or instruction to theagent. This information provided by the activation and deactivation ofthe mote/indicator may include, but is not limited to, that thereceptacle that includes the mote/indicator is the correct destinationreceptacle for a particular picked item or item to be picked, that thereceptacle an item was placed in is the correct (or possibly incorrect)destination receptacle for the item, that a completed receptacle is inproximity to its assigned destination, or in general any otherinformation that may be useful to an agent performing picking or even toother agents performing other functions in a materials handlingfacility. Activating and deactivating a mote and/or indicator may, butdoes not necessarily, power on or off the mote and/or indicator. Motes,indicators, and/or sensors described for the various embodiments may below-power or even zero-power devices, and if powered may haveinexpensive power sources, and thus in some embodiments may always be“powered on”.

In some embodiments, multiple orders may be selected and assigned to anagent for picking based on the location of the items in inventorystorage in order to take advantage of locality of items in the differentorders. By enabling pickers to pick for multiple destinations at once,the average distance traveled between each location to pick items may bereduced, thus increasing pick density. Further, picking for multipledestinations enables the pickers to perform at least some pre-sorting ofpicked items, which reduces the need for sorting in the downstreamprocessing of the items. In some embodiments, picking for multipledestinations may allow all sorting for a given order to be accomplishedduring the picking process which may reduce or eliminate the need forseparate sorting areas or mechanisms in a facility. Embodiments of themethod and apparatus for enabling multi-destination pick using motesallow agents to pick to two or more destinations at a time with greaterefficiency and accuracy. This may also allow the threshold for theminimum number items in an order that can be pre-sorted during pickingto be reduced, which reduces the need for downstream sorting of theitems into their respective orders.

Conventionally, in some cases in materials handling facilities, athreshold may be set for the minimum number of items in an order thatcan be efficiently picked by an agent picking for a single destination,for example 25 items. If a single customer order includes at least thismany items (e.g., at least 25 items), it may be efficient to have theagent pick just the items for the single customer order. In conventionalfacilities, for orders with fewer items, items for two or more of theorders may be picked by the agent into a common receptacle orreceptacles without sorting into the individual orders; sorting may thenbe performed downstream of the pick process. In conventional facilities,having pickers pick items for multiple destinations (e.g. for multipledifferent orders) requires the picker to correctly sort items intodifferent receptacles as the items are picked. The inefficiencies anderrors resulting from combining such sorting with the picking operationhave previously made this type of operation infeasible. However,employing motes on the receptacles, as described herein, may improve theefficiency and lower the error rate for multi-destination pickoperations in a materials handling facility. Embodiments may enable thepre-sorting or sorting of more orders to be performed during the pickprocess than conventional pick methods. During a pick run, an agent maybe assigned two or more orders to pick items for. For example, multiplesmaller orders (e.g. orders having fewer items than a threshold asmentioned above) may be assigned to a single agent for picking. Eachorder may be considered a “destination” that is picked to, and so eachorder may be assigned its own receptacle. The motes on the receptaclesmay be used to direct the agent in placing picked items for the ordersinto the correct receptacles or compartments assigned to the orders.Using embodiments, an agent may pick to multiple destinations (e.g.,orders) during one pick session. Since the agent may pick to multipledestinations (for example, to three orders at a time), the threshold forthe minimum size of an order that can be efficiently picked by an agentmay be reduced or eliminated, while maintaining acceptable levels ofpick density and sort labor for the pickers. This allows a higherpercentage of orders to be sorted by the agents during the pick process,thus reducing the sort labor, and possibly even the need for additional,expensive sorting mechanisms, downstream in the materials handlingprocess.

In one embodiment, at least some orders, such as larger orders, may bedivided among two or more agents for picking, with each agent pickingitems for a divided order into a different destination receptacle. Theitems in the receptacles may then be combined at a downstream station.Note that two receptacles each including items for a particular ordermay be delivered to different destinations, with the items beingcombined at a later downstream station.

In one embodiment where the receptacles are mobile, agents may pass offreceptacles to other agents to continue the picking of items for thedestination. For example, in some materials handling facilities,particular picking agents may be assigned to particular regions ofinventory. After an agent has completed picking of items in the agent'sassigned region to a receptacle, the agent may pass the receptacle offto another agent to continue picking of items to the receptacle. In thisexample, the second agent may be considered the “pick destination” forthe receptacle for the first agent. The receptacle may be passed to oneor more other agents to continue picking. After the receptacle iscomplete (all the items for the downstream destination have been pickedto the receptacle), the agent that completed the receptacle may thendeliver the receptacle to its downstream destination.

Also note that an agent may pick items from one order into two differentreceptacles, with the receptacles assigned to different downstreamdestinations (stations). For example, some items in an order may beassigned to a station for value-added processing, such as gift wrapping,while other items in a different receptacle may be assigned to go to adifferent station, such as a sorting station, where the items may laterbe merged with the items in the first receptacle when they arrive at thesorting station.

Note that a materials handling facility may use one or more of theabove-described methods for picking items into two or more receptaclesassigned to multiple destinations, and/or two or more of theabove-described methods in combination.

In one embodiment, a mote may include an indicator, such as one or morelight emitting diodes (LEDs), as well as a RF (radio frequency)communication interface, such as a wireless network interface, forcommunicating with a materials handling facility control system and withother motes in an ad-hoc network. In one embodiment, the mote on thedestination receptacle may be activated when the picked item is scannedby the agent. The scanning device may communicate with the controlsystem to indicate which item was picked. The control system may thenrespond by sending a request message to activate the mote on thedestination receptacle for the item. Each mote may be identified by aunique code such that when a particular mote receives a message via itscommunication interface, it may responsively activate its indicatordevice.

Other methods may be used to activate motes to indicate destinationreceptacles for picked items. For example, in one embodiment, inresponse to an agent arriving at an indicated location or inventory binin the materials handling facility, the control system may send amessage to a particular mote, causing it to activate to indicate to theagent the specific receptacle into which a picked item from thatlocation or bin should be placed.

In some embodiments, each receptacle may also include a sensor (e.g., amotion detector, RFID sensor, light curtain, etc.) that detects when anitem is placed in the receptacle and that may be used to verify that theitem was placed in the correct receptacle. The sensor may be coupled tothe mote with the indicator, or alternatively may be coupled to aseparate mote on the receptacle, and may be configured to communicatewith and send messages to the control system when items are placed inthe receptacle. Note that a sensor may be used to detect placement of anitem in the receptacle. In some embodiments, the sensor may be used todistinguish between placement of an item in the correct receptacle or inan incorrect receptacle. In some embodiments, if placement of an item inthe correct receptacle is determined, a visual and/or audible indicatoron the mote may be activated to indicate to the agent that the item wasplaced in the correct receptacle. For example, the indicator may flashthe LED, or activate an LED of a different color or in a differentlocation than the LED that indicates to the agent the correctreceptacle. In some embodiments, if placement of an item in an incorrectreceptacle is detected, an indicator on the mote may be activated toindicate to the agent that the item was placed in the wrong receptacle.For example, the indicator may flash the LED, or activate an LED of adifferent color or in a different location than the LED that indicatesthe correct receptacle. Alternatively, the indicator may display textmessages to indicate correct and/or incorrect placement of an item in areceptacle. For example, the text message may display “Correctreceptacle” or similar when an item is placed in the correct receptacle,and “Incorrect receptacle” or similar when an item is placed in anincorrect receptacle. In one embodiment, the indicator may specify thecorrect receptacle when an item is placed in the wrong receptacle, forexample “Please place the item in receptacle 3” or similar message. Insome embodiments, rather than having the indicator generate textmessages, the picker's communication device, an attachment to thecommunication device, or some other device, possibly coupled to the pushcart, may be used to generate text messages to indicate correct and/orincorrect placement of items in receptacles, and/or other textinformation about picked items placed in receptacles.

Other methods may be used to indicate placement of an item in a corrector incorrect receptacle, such as audible tones or beeps, with one toneor beep indicating correct placement and another tone or beep indicatingincorrect placement, or alternatively an audible tone or beep may onlybe sounded if the item was placed in an incorrect receptacle.Alternatively, the indicator may generate audible messages to indicateplacement of items in correct and/or incorrect receptacles. For example,the audible message may say “Correct receptacle” or similar when an itemis placed in the correct receptacle, and “Incorrect receptacle” orsimilar when an item is placed in an incorrect receptacle. In oneembodiment, the indicator may specify the correct receptacle when anitem is placed in the wrong receptacle, for example the audible messagemay say “Please place the item in receptacle 3” or some similar message.Note that combinations of two or more of the above-described methods forindicating placement of items in correct and/or incorrect receptaclesmay be used in some embodiments. For example, an indicator may bothactivate LEDs and generate audible messages to indicate correct and/orincorrect placement of items in receptacles. In some embodiments, ratherthan having the indicator generate audible tones or messages, thepicker's communication device, an attachment to the communicationdevice, or some other device, possibly coupled to the push cart, may beused to generate audible tones or messages to indicate correct and/orincorrect placement of items in receptacles, and/or other audibleinformation about picked items placed in receptacles.

After the item is placed in the correct receptacle as indicated by theactivated mote, the indicators of the mote may be deactivated. In oneembodiment using sensors, detection of the placement of the item in thereceptacle by the sensor may cause the sensor to send a message to acontrol system, such as control system 190 of FIG. 9, which may thensend a message requesting deactivation of the indicator on the mote(i.e., “turn off” its indicator). Alternatively, the sensor may send asignal directly to the mote to cause it to deactivate the indicator.Other embodiments may use other methods to deactivate the indicator on amote; for example, a mote may be configured to deactivate its indicatorafter a time interval, such as ten seconds. As another example, eachmote may include a button or switch that may be pushed by the agent todeactivate or “reset” the indicator on the mote, or alternatively theagent may deactivate the indicator on a mote via the user interface (UI)of the agent's communication device.

Note that the indicators may be activated and deactivated as describedabove. In embodiments including sensors, a sensor may be active or“sensing” continuously, and not just when the control system expects thesensor to sense something. In one embodiment, the communication deviceof a picker working with a particular cart may be receiving messagescontinuously from the motes on all the receptacles on the cart. In oneembodiment, the sensors may be “talkative” and report all sensedmovement to the communication device. In this embodiment, thecommunication device may “subscribe” to any sensor messages from aparticular set of motes. Unsubscription may occur when thereceptacle/mote has been delivered to the pick destination, oralternatively at some period after delivery in case the picker indicateson the communication device that one receptacle is being delivered butactually delivers another receptacle. In another embodiment, the motesmay be “quiet” and the communication device may be “talkative”. In thisembodiment, the communication device may keep the motes/sensors on aparticular cart informed as to whether motion is expected or not. Aslong as the sensors detect motion (or lack of motion) in accordance withexpectations, nothing may be reported back to the communication device;the sensors may only report unexpected events.

Note that the motes on the receptacles in a materials handling facilitymay be configured to cooperatively form an ad-hoc network that useswireless communication to send, receive, and propagate messages on thenetwork. The motes may use each other's services to propagate packets(messages) on the ad-hoc network. A materials handling facility controlsystem may include one or more control stations configured to wirelesslycommunicate with the motes and with each other (via wired or wirelessconnections) in the ad-hoc network, as well as portable communicationdevices carried by the agents and various other fixed or portableworkstations or devices that also may be configured to participate inthe ad-hoc network. Motes may be out of the range of a control station,so messages to a mote from a control station may be propagated via oneor more other motes or other in the materials handling facility, andvice versa. In one embodiment, there may be a gateway point or pointsthat serves as a gateway for the motes to a central server or controlstation of the materials handling facility control system. Note thatother components the materials handling facility, such as stock storagebins, carts, and stations, may include motes used for various otherpurposes that also may be configured to participate in the ad-hocnetwork.

One embodiment of an agent picking to multi-destination receptacles withmotes is illustrated in FIG. 3. In this embodiment, agent 142 may be anemployee of the materials handling facility with a push cart 110configured to hold a plurality of storage bins or totes, where each tote(or, alternatively, each of one or more compartments within one or moreof the totes) is a receptacle 100. The number and arrangement ofreceptacles 100 on the cart may vary from that shown. The receptacles100 may be mobile, so the receptacles 100 may be removed from or addedto a cart 110, moved to different carts, rearranged on a cart, etc.Agent 142 may interact with a corresponding communication device 144,which may be a handheld device, a device worn by or attached to theagent, or a device integrated into or mounted on push cart 110 invarious embodiments.

Communication device 144 may be configured to convey instructions toagent 142 as to what actions to perform within the materials handlingfacility. In one embodiment, communication device 144 may receive from amaterials handling facility control system a list of items to be pickedfrom bins or locations in inventory, which may be referred to as pickmodules, and may present the items to pick and the pick modules to agent142 via a display portion of the device such as a screen. Communicationdevice 144 may also receive and display a list of one or moredestinations for the picked items in the materials handling facilityfrom the control system. Agent 142 may then collect the receptacles 100for the indicated destinations and place them on the cart. Any of avariety of methods may be used to assign receptacles 100 todestinations.

A mote 102 may be coupled to each receptacle 100. In one embodiment, asindicated in FIG. 3, a mote 102 may be located near or at the top edgeof the receptacle 100, or alternatively built into the rim of thereceptacle 100. In one embodiment, a sensor may be integrated with themote 102 to sense events inside the receptacle 100, for example theplacement of picked items in the receptacle 100. In other embodiments,rather than having a sensor integrated with the mote 102, a sensor maybe located apart from the mote 102 on the receptacle 100, for example onthe top edge of the opposite side of the receptacle 100. Mounting themotes 102 at or near the top edge of the receptacles 100 may allow themotes 102 to be visible when the receptacles 100 are nestably stacked.Note that, in other embodiments, the mote 102, and sensor if present,may be located in other positions on the inside or outside of thereceptacle 100 than the position shown, either on the top edge orelsewhere on the sides or even bottom of the receptacle 100.

In one embodiment, each receptacle 100 may be marked or tagged with abar code, radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, serial number,and/or other designation (including proprietary designations) thatuniquely identifies the receptacle 100 among the receptacles in thematerials handling facility. Note that this unique identifier may alsobe assigned to the mote 102 attached to the receptacle 100, and used bythe control system to associate the mote 102 with the receptacle 100. Inone embodiment, agent 142 may select a receptacle 100 from a repositoryfor receptacles 100 in the materials handling facility, and thereceptacle's unique identifier may be scanned or otherwise entered inthe communication device 144 by agent 142. The control system may thenassociate that particular receptacle 100 with a particular destination.This process may be repeated for each destination indicated to agent 142on communication device 144. Alternatively, one receptacle 100 for eachdestination may be selected and placed on cart 110, and then eachreceptacle may be scanned by agent 142 to assign destinations to thereceptacles 100. In one embodiment, receptacles 100 placed on cart 110may be scanned in a particular order, for example left to right, and theassignment of destinations to the receptacles 100 may be performed tocorrespond to the list of destinations presented to agent 142, forexample with the leftmost or first scanned receptacle 100 assigned tothe first destination, the next or second scanned mote 100 assigned tothe second destination, and so on. Alternatively, the agent may alreadyhave one or more receptacles 100 on push cart 110 from a previous picksession, and one or more of the receptacles 100 on the cart 110 may bereused in the next pick session by reassigning the receptacles todifferent destinations for the next pick session.

In some embodiments, selected receptacles 100 may not initially beassigned to particular destinations. Instead, a receptacle 100 may, forexample, be assigned to a destination when placement of a first pickeditem for that destination in the receptacle 100 is detected by a sensoron the receptacle. Alternatively, when agent 142 picks and scans a firstitem for a destination, agent 142 may then scan or otherwise enter theunique identifier of an empty receptacle 100 on cart 110, which may thenbe assigned to the destination. Subsequent scanning of picked items forthat destination may then activate the mote 102 on the receptacle 100assigned to that destination. In one embodiment, an agent 142 may selecta receptacle 100 in which to place a particular picked item from one ormore unassigned receptacles on the cart, for example if the item is notbound for any of the pick destinations already assigned to receptacles100 on the cart. The agent 142 may then interact with the controlsystem, such as control system 190 of FIG. 9, via the communicationdevice 144 to assign the receptacle 100 to the destination for the item.Subsequent items picked for that destination may then be placed in thereceptacle 100 as indicated by the control system interacting with themote 102 on the receptacle. In one embodiment, agent 142 may be allowedto override the destination assigned to a receptacle 100 and place apicked item instead into a different, possibly unassigned, receptacle,for example a larger receptacle if the receptacle assigned to thedestination is insufficiently large, or an empty, possibly unassignedreceptacle if the receptacle assigned to the destination for the itemlacks sufficient space for the item. The agent 142 may then interactwith the control system via the communication device 144 to assign thereceptacle 100 to the destination for the item. Subsequent items pickedfor that destination may then be placed in the receptacle 100 along withthe item as indicated by the control system interacting with the mote102 on the receptacle.

In response to receiving instructions to pick various items, agent 142may navigate push cart 110 to a first indicated pick module (or,alternatively, to the closest indicated pick module if the indicatedpick modules are not specifically ordered by the control system). Onceat an indicated pick module, agent 142 may select an instance of anindicated item from the indicated pick module. For example, agent 142may retrieve an item from a bin, pallet, chute, or other configurationof pick module. In some cases, agent 142 may also inspect the conditionof the item, and may select an item only if it is in suitable condition(e.g., is clean, undamaged, unopened, has an appropriate expirationdate, or satisfies some other set of criteria).

Items in inventory may be marked or tagged with a bar code, radiofrequency identification (RFID) tag, Universal Product Code (UPC),Stock-Keeping Unit (SKU) code, serial number, and/or other designation(including proprietary designations) to facilitate materials processingfacility operations including, but not limited to, picking, sorting andpacking. These designations, or codes, may identify items by type,and/or may identify individual items within a type of item. In oneembodiment, once an item has been picked, agent 142 may scan orotherwise enter the code for the picked item in communication device144. Alternatively, the agent may select a button or other mechanism onthe communication device 144 corresponding to the item to indicate thatthe item was picked. Communication device 144 may then send a message toa control system, such as control system 190 of FIG. 9, indicating thepicked item. The control system may then activate the indicator of themote 102 on the receptacle 100 assigned to that destination. Note that,in embodiments including sensors on the receptacles 100, the sensors mayalways be active and communicating sensed events to the control systemand/or to the agent via the agent's communication device. In oneembodiment, push cart 110, each receptacle 100, or communication device144 may include a proximity detection mechanism that may detect an RFIDtag on each item picked when the item is within range of the mechanism.The proximity detection mechanism may then relay information on the itemto the control system, which may then activate the indicator of the mote102 on the receptacle 100 assigned to the destination for the item.

In some embodiments, the indicator may be activated prior to the itembeing picked and/or scanned by the agent, for example as soon as thenext item to be picked is known. Activating the indicator before theitem is picked and/or scanned may provide one or more advantages. Oneadvantage is that the agent may start preparing physically to place theitem into a particular indicated receptacle 100 before the item ispicked, for example by making sure that he/she is standing on theoptimal side of the cart when the item is picked. Another advantage isthat potential network delay in getting the message to the indicator onthe receptacle to activate the indicator may be absorbed while the agentis picking the item, rather than having the agent wait for the indicatoron the destination receptacle to be activated after scanning the item.In one embodiment, for example, when the agent 142 begins a picksession, the indicator on a receptacle 100 that is the destinationreceptacle for the first item to be picked may be activated. After thatitem is picked and placed in the indicated receptacle 100, the indicatoron the receptacle that is the destination receptacle for the next itemto be picked may be activated, and so on. In another embodiment, theagent 142 may select a next item to be picked on the user interface ofthe communication device carried by the agent. The communication devicemay communicate this information to the control system, which may thensend a message to the mote 102 on the destination receptacle 100 for theitem to activate the indicator on the receptacle. Alternatively, thecommunication device may send a message directly to the mote on thedestination receptacle to activate the indicator. In yet anotherembodiment, a proximity detection mechanism, as described above, maydetect when the cart is in proximity to the storage area for an item tobe picked in the stock storage or some other location in the materialshandling facility and cause the indicator on the destination receptacleto activate. Other embodiments may use other mechanisms to activate anindicator on a destination receptacle prior to the item being pickedand/or scanned by the agent. For example, in one embodiment the storagebin where the item is located may include a motion detector that detectsmotion of the agent when picking the item and relays this information tothe control system. The control system may then send a message to themote on the destination receptacle for the item to activate theindicator. As another example, in one embodiment, the control system maytrack the location of the agent, cart, and/or receptacles in thematerials handling facility, and may send a message to a mote on areceptacle to activate the indicator on the receptacle when theagent/cart is at or near the location of an item to be picked.

In one embodiment, the communication device and/or control system maynot provide directions for a subsequent item to be picked to the agentuntil confirmation has been received that the appropriate sensor sensedmotion in the correct receptacle for the current item being picked.Alternatively, motion detected by a sensor in an incorrect receptaclemay raise an exception or otherwise block the agent from continuing thepick session until the error has been resolved.

Note that, in some embodiments where receptacles are not assigned todestinations until a first item for the destination is picked,assignment of a receptacle 100 on cart 110 to the destination may beperformed using some method such as the ones described above if thepicked item is the first item for a particular destination. Agent 142may then place the picked item into the indicated receptacle 100 on cart102. In embodiments including a sensor, the placement of the item in thereceptacle 100 may be detected and the control system may be notifiedthat the item was placed in the receptacle. Note that the sensor maydetect placement of an item in the correct or in an incorrect receptacle100, and that the control system may activate the mote 102 on thereceptacle 100 in which the item was placed to signal to agent 142 ifthe item was placed in the correct (or incorrect) receptacle 100. Afterplacement of the item in the receptacle 100, the mote 102 may bedeactivated using some method as previously described. Agent 142 maythen repeat the pick process for each item on the list of items to bepicked.

After agent 142 has picked all indicated items for all destinationsassigned to the agent, the agent may then deliver each receptacle 100 oncart 102 to its assigned destination. The control system may communicatewith agent 142 via communication device 144 to direct the agent to thedestination for each receptacle 100. In one embodiment, as an agentapproaches a station, the control system may detect the one or morereceptacles on the agent's carts that are assigned that station as theirdestination, and activate an indicator on the receptacle(s) to indicateto the agent that the receptacle(s) are to be delivered to that station.Alternatively, the materials handling facility may include a conveyancemechanism, such as a conveyor belt, onto which the agent may induct thecompleted receptacles 100. The conveyance mechanism may then deliver thereceptacles 100 to the stations assigned as destinations in thematerials handling facility. In one embodiment, the conveyance mechanismmay be configured to automatically deliver receptacles 100 to thecorrect destinations (stations) as directed by the materials handlingfacility control system. For example, the conveyance mechanism may scanor otherwise detect the unique identifier of each receptacle 100, andthe control system may direct the conveyance mechanism as to whichdestination the receptacle 100 is to be delivered. In one embodiment,the conveyance mechanism may be configured to communicate with the motes102 on the receptacles 100 to determine, as directed by the controlsystem, the destinations for the receptacles 100. In other embodiments,other agents at the stations may scan or otherwise enter receptacles 100on the conveyance mechanism to determine, as directed by the controlsystem, if the receptacles 100 are assigned to their station.Alternatively, as a receptacle approaches a station on the conveyancemechanism, the control system may detect that the receptacle is assignedto that station as its destination, and activate an indicator on thereceptacle to indicate to an agent at that station that the receptacleis for that station.

After completion of processing of the items in a receptacle 100 at astation, the items may be delivered to another station for furtherprocessing. For example, the items may be sorted into their respectiveorders at a manual or automated sorting station, and then delivered to apacking station or stations. As another example, the items may begift-wrapped at a gift-wrapping station, and then delivered to a sortingstation to be sorted into their respective orders. In one embodiment,the processed items may be placed back into the receptacle 100, oralternatively into a different receptacle or receptacles 100, which maythen be directed to the next station or stations for the items in thereceptacle(s) 100 by the control system. Note that, in some embodiments,the motes 102, indicators, and sensors on the receptacles 100 may beconfigured to perform other functions under direction of the controlsystem to facilitate processing at the one or more downstreamstations(s) of the receptacles than the function(s) described herein forthe pick process.

Numerous different embodiments of communication device 144 are possibleand contemplated. In some embodiments, communication device 144 mayinclude a portable general-purpose computer system configured to executean operating system and one or more applications, while in otherembodiments, communication device 144 may include an embedded computersystem configured to execute customized software applications. Invarious embodiments, communication device 144 may support numerousdifferent interface mechanisms, such as video displays of various sizesand resolutions, audio input/output capabilities (e.g., for voicecommunication), optical (e.g., bar code) scanning devices, RFIDdetectors, wireless or wired network interfaces, or various combinationsof these, which may be directly integrated within communication device144 or implemented by separate devices interfaced with communicationdevice 144.

In some embodiments, the actions of agent 142 may be partially orcompletely performed by an autonomous robot. For example, in someembodiments both item picking and transportation may be performedrobotically, whereas in other embodiments items may be picked by humanemployees while robotic push carts 110 operate independently of thehuman pickers. Alternatively, push carts 110 may be replaced with otherconveyance systems such as such as conveyor belts, track-based carts,AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles), wheel-mounted shelving units etc., orsome agents 142 may carry one or more receptacles 100 without the use ofa push cart 110. As noted above, in embodiments employing push carts110, the configuration of receptacles 100 may vary in variousembodiments. For example, push carts 110 may have more or fewerreceptacles 100 than shown, and receptacles 100 may be arranged indifferent fashions, such as by varying the angle at which receptacles100 are mounted in order to facilitate access to receptacles 100 atvarious heights on carts 110.

In one embodiment, a control system, such as control system 190 of FIG.9, may be able to detect the location of motes in the facility, forexample using a GPS system or through proximity detection usingproximity detectors and/or other motes in the ad-hoc network. In thisembodiment, the control system may be able to detect approximately whereeach receptacle 100, or other component with a mote attached, is locatedin the materials handling facility. In one embodiment, each cart 110 mayhave a mote coupled to the cart, and the control system may be able totrack the location of each cart 110 via the mote on the cart, and thusthe agent 142, in the materials handling facility. The control systemmay use this location information to direct the agent 142 in the pickprocess, for example to indicate which items are nearby to be picked, todirect the agent 142 to a different location to pick one or more items,or to indicate to the agent 142 that one or more receptacles 100 are tobe dropped off at a nearby station that is the assigned destination forthe receptacle(s), for example by sending a request message to activatean indicator on the receptacle(s). Alternatively, location of an agent142 in the materials handling facility may be tracked using the agent'scommunication device 144.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram that illustrates an exemplary configurationfor a mote on a receptacle according to one embodiment. The core 104 ofthe mote is essentially a very small, low-cost, low-power computer withwireless communications capability. Components of the mote core 104 mayinclude, but are not limited to: a CPU, memory, and a communicationsinterface, such as a radio transmitter/receiver. The core 104 may becoupled to one or more other components including, but not limited to: abattery or other power source (not shown), an antenna 106, an indicator160, and one or more sensors (not shown). Indicator 160 may include oneor more lights, LEDs, LCDs, or other mechanisms for visually and/oraudibly communicating with a picking agent of the materials handlingfacility to facilitate picking for multiple destinations under directionof a control system as described herein. All of these components arepackaged together in a small package, mote 102, which may be attached tothe inside or outside of a receptacle. The mote 102 may be programmableto configure it to perform a desired function or functions, such as thefunctions of the multi-destination pick process described herein.

FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment with an indicator 160 including twolights, 162A and 162B. Other embodiments may include one, or more thantwo, lights. In one embodiment, mote 102 may include an integratedsensor (not shown) to detect motion inside the receptacle, for exampleplacement of an item in the receptacle. In other embodiments, thereceptacle may include a sensor that is coupled to, but not integratedwith, the mote 102, via a wired or wireless connection. In an embodimentwith two lights 162, for example, a first light (light 162A) may beconfigured to be activated to indicate the receptacle is the destinationreceptacle for a picked item, and the second light (light 162B) may beconfigured to be activated to indicate placement of an item in the wrongreceptacle and/or to indicate placement of an item in the correctreceptacle. The lights may be, but are not necessarily, differentcolors, for example green and red, or green and amber. Any color orcombination of colors may be used. In an embodiment with one light 162,the light may, for example, be configured to light continuously oralternatively to flash or blink, to indicate the receptacle is thedestination receptacle for a picked item. In some embodiments, thesingle light may be configured to indicate placement of an item in thecorrect or in an incorrect receptacle. For example, the light may beconfigured to change colors to indicate placement in the correct and/orin an incorrect receptacle, with different colors indicating correct orincorrect placement. Alternatively, or in addition, the light may beconfigured to flash or blink at different rates to indicate placement ofan item in the correct and/or in an incorrect receptacle. In someembodiments, audible signals may be used to indicate the placement of anitem in the correct and/or in an incorrect receptacle.

FIG. 5A shows the mote illustrated in FIG. 4 attached to the outside ofa receptacle (for example, a tote) according to one embodiment. Notethat mote 102 may be attached elsewhere on receptacle 100, for exampleon the inside instead of the outside. Mote 102 may also be coupled to asensor 180, such as a motion detector or RFID sensor, for detectingplacement of items into the (correct or incorrect) receptacle asdescribed herein. Sensor 180 may be coupled to mote 102 via a wired orwireless connection. In one embodiment, a different mote attached toreceptacle 100 may be coupled to the sensor 180, and may be configuredto communicate sensor data to mote 102 and/or to a control system, suchas control system 190 of FIG. 9. Also note that mote 102, sensor 180,and receptacle 100 are not necessarily shown to scale; a mote 102 istypically much smaller relative to the receptacle 100.

FIGS. 4 and 5A show indicator 160 adjacent to mote core 104. Note that,in some embodiments, indicator 160 may not be adjacent to core 104, butinstead may be located at some distance from core 104 on the receptacle100.

FIG. 5B illustrates a receptacle including a mote, such as the exemplarymote and receptacle illustrated in FIG. 5A, with an exemplary itemstored therein. Item 170 includes an item code (IC) 172, which may be abar code, RFID tag or other type of code. For some types of items, itemcode 172 may uniquely identify each individual instance of the item 170,akin to a unique serial number, while for other items, item code 172 mayuniquely identify only the type of the item 170. In one embodiment, itemcode 172 may be scanned or otherwise input into a communication deviceby an agent when picked. Identifying the particular receptacle 100 for aparticular destination into which the scanned item 170 is to be placedmay be facilitated by incorporating active technology (mote 102) intoreceptacle 100. Mote 102 may include an indicator, such as a lightemitting diode (LED), as well as a communication interface, such as awireless network interface. Each mote 102 may be identified by a uniquecode or identifier, so that when a particular mote 102 receives amessage via its communication interface, it may responsively activateits indicator device. For example, in one embodiment, in response toagent 142 scanning item code 172 of item 170, the control system maysend a message to mote 102, causing it to illuminate an LED to indicateto agent 142 that the item is to be placed in the receptacle 100, whichis assigned to the particular destination for the item. In someembodiments, mote 102 may be further configured to detect when item 170has been placed into receptacle 100, for example using a motiondetector, RFID sensor, or other technique.

In one embodiment, one or more containers such as totes, bins, baskets,shelves, etc. in a materials handling facility may be partitioned orsubdivided into two or more compartments of the same or different sizes,and each compartment may be a receptacle for receiving picked itemswhich may be assigned to a particular destination. In this embodiment,each compartment or receptacle 100 in a partitioned container mayinclude a mote 102, as shown in FIG. 5C. Each mote 102 may be assignedan identifier that uniquely identifies the mote, and thus the receptacle100 to which the mote 102 is attached. In one embodiment, eachreceptacle 100 in a partitioned container may be assigned to a differentdestination in the materials handling facility by the control system,and the motes 102 in the receptacles 100 may be activated to indicatethe correct receptacles 100 in which an agent performing picking is toplace picked items using a method similar to the methods describedherein for non-partitioned containers. For example, when an agent picksand scans an item, the control system may respond by lighting an LED onan indicator attached to a mote in a particular receptacle 100 of apartitioned container on the cart the agent is using. Note that eachreceptacle 100 may also include a sensor to detect placement of an itemin the receptacle 100 as described elsewhere herein for non-partitionedcontainers.

In one embodiment, rather than each receptacle 100 of a partitionedcontainer including a mote 102, each partitioned container may includeone “master” mote that handles communications with other motes, thecontrol system, etc., and each receptacle 100 may include an indicatorand/or a sensor that communicates with the “master” mote on thecontainer via a wired or wireless mechanism. In one embodiment, thepartitioned container may include one mote with an indicator coupled toor integrated with the mote, and each receptacle 100 may include asensor that communicates with the mote. In this embodiment, the sensorin a receptacle 100 may sense when an item is placed in the receptacle100 and communicate that information to the mote, which may then relaythe information to the control system. The control system may then senda message to the mote to activate the indicator to indicate whether theitem was placed in the correct receptacle 100 or in an incorrectreceptacle 100. Note that, in some embodiments, there may be noindicators on the container. In these embodiments, some other method ofsignaling to the agent whether the item was placed in the correct or inan incorrect receptacle 100 may be used. For example, the control systemmay communicate this information to the agent via a communication devicecarried by the agent. Also note that, in embodiments where eachreceptacle 100 does not include an indicator, some other method ofdirecting the agent as to which receptacle 100 is assigned to adestination may be used. In one embodiment, this information may beprovided to the agent via the user interface of the communication devicecarried by the agent. For example, two or more containers may bearranged in a known order on the cart, and each receptacle 100 may benumbered. The control system, for example, may indicate to the agent,via the communication device, that an item to be picked, or a pickeditem, is to be placed in the second receptacle 100 from the front of thefirst container from the left on the second row from the top of the cart(e.g., “Place Item X in Receptacle 2 of Container 2A”).

FIG. 6 illustrates a receptacle including a mote and sensor but noindicator, according to one embodiment. In this embodiment, eachreceptacle may include a sensor 180 (e.g., a motion detector or RFIDsensor), integrated with or alternatively coupled to the mote 102, thatsenses when an item is placed in the receptacle and that may be used toverify that the item was placed in the correct receptacle. In oneembodiment, the sensor 180 may be configured to communicate with themote 102 to send a message to the control system when the sensor 180detects an item is placed in the receptacle 100. In one embodiment, thesensor 180 may be integrated with the mote 102 on the receptacle 100. Inother embodiments, the sensor 180 may be separate from the mote 102 onthe receptacle 100. The sensor 180 may be used to detect placement of anitem in the correct receptacle and, in some embodiments, placement of anitem in an incorrect receptacle.

In this embodiment, some other method than an indicator on thereceptacle may be used to indicate to the agent as to which receptacle100 is the destination receptacle for an item. For example, directionsas to which receptacle on the cart is the destination receptacle for anitem to be picked or for a picked item may be provided to the agentthrough the user interface of a communication device carried by theagent. In one embodiment, when the agent places a picked item in areceptacle 100, the sensor 180 on the receptacle 100 may detect theplacement of the item in the receptacle and communicate this informationto the mote 102. The mote 102 may then relay this information to thecontrol system, such as control system 190 of FIG. 9, and the controlsystem may then indicate to the agent if the item was placed in thecorrect receptacle or in an incorrect receptacle, for example throughthe user interface of the communication device carried by the agent.

In general, since the motes, sensors, and indicators may be inexpensiveand numerous, they may fail on occasion, and therefore embodiments maybe designed to be fault-tolerant and not fail just because the mote,sensor, and/or indicator fails or provides false information. Forexample, some types of sensors used in some of the embodiments above maybe “imprecise”. If motion detectors are used (instead of, for example,RFID sensors) then the sensor may not be able to distinguish whether aparticular item has been placed into the receptacle, and may only beable to detect that an item has been placed in the receptacle. Inaddition, some sensors may produce “false positives” in certainconditions; for example, jostling a receptacle may cause a previouslypicked item in that receptacle to shift which, to the sensor, would lookidentical to a new item being placed in the receptacle, generating afalse positive reading. As another example, the agent may accidentallytrigger the motion detector of one receptacle while physically workingwith another receptacle, which may generate one or more false positivereadings in conjunction with zero or one true positive reading (sincethe sensor in the receptacle where the item was actually placed may ormay not read accurately). As yet another example, an agent may firstmistakenly place an item into one receptacle, and then remove the itemand place it in another receptacle. Embodiments may include variousmechanisms to help detect and correct for imprecision in sensors such asthe generation of “false positives.”

One solution to these problems with imprecision in sensors including thegeneration of false positives is to build in redundancy. Redundancy mayalso help prevent or solve other potential problems, such as the failureof motes, sensors, or indicators. Built-in redundancy may also help toreduce or eliminate the placement of items in the wrong receptacles. Forexample, in one embodiment using indicators on the receptacles toindicate to the agent which receptacles to place items in, thecommunications device that directs the agent as to which item is to bepicked, where to go to pick the item, etc., may also provide redundantinformation to direct the agent as to which receptacle is the correctdestination receptacle to place the picked item in. If the indicator ona mote fails to light, the agent can tell from the communication devicewhich receptacle the item is to be placed in. As another example, if thesensor on a destination receptacle fails to detect and/or report that anitem was placed in the receptacle, and all of the other receptacles'sensors have also not detected or reported an item placed in any of theother receptacles, and the agent, through the communication device,indicates that the pick and placement of the item has been completed,and the sensors in all of the currently accessible receptacles are knownto have been recently operational, then the control system may assumethat the picked item was placed in the correct destination receptacle,because it may be more likely that the correct receptacle's sensorfailed to detect or report the placement of the item than it is that anincorrect receptacle's sensor failed to detect/report an event and thepicker made an error in placement during the exact same transaction.

Some embodiments may use redundant motes, sensors, and/or indicators onreceptacles. In these embodiments, there may be more than one mote,sensor, and/or indicator, with one mote, sensor, and/or indicatorserving as the primary and the other serving as a “backup” in case theprimary fails. Other embodiments, as described above, may use otherredundant mechanisms, such as the communication device used toredundantly display the correct destination receptacle for an item)and/or redundant logic, such as the logic used to determine that it issafe to assume that an item was placed in the correct receptacle even ifthe sensor fails to detect and/or report placement of an item in thereceptacle.

FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate delivery of completed receptacles to multipledestinations according to embodiments. In FIG. 7, after an agent 142performing picking has picked all indicated items for all destinationsassigned to the agent, the agent 142 may then deliver each receptacle100 to its assigned destination 150. The control system may communicatewith the agent 142 via a communication device to direct the agent to thedestination 150 for each receptacle 100. Note that two or more agents142 may be simultaneously performing picking of items and/or delivery ofcompleted receptacles 100 to destinations 150, with each agent pickingitems for or delivering completed receptacles 100 to one or more of thesame or different destinations 150 in the materials handling facility.

As illustrated in FIG. 8, the materials handling facility may include aconveyance mechanism 200, such as a conveyor belt, onto which each agent142 may induct the completed receptacles 100. The conveyance mechanism200 may then deliver the receptacles 100 to the destinations 150(stations) in the materials handling facility. In one embodiment, theconveyance mechanism 200 may be configured to automatically deliverreceptacles 100 to the correct destinations 150 as directed by thematerials handling facility control system. For example, the conveyancemechanism 200 may scan or otherwise detect the unique identifier of eachreceptacle 100, and the control system may direct the conveyancemechanism 200 as to which destination 150 (station) the receptacle 100is to be delivered. In one embodiment, the conveyance mechanism 200 maybe configured to communicate with the motes 102 on the receptacles 100to determine, as directed by the control system, the destinations 150for the receptacles 100. In other embodiments, other agents (forexample, a packer at a packing station, or an agent at a sortingstation) at the destinations 150 (stations) may scan or otherwise enterreceptacles 100 on the conveyance mechanism 200 to determine, asdirected by the control system, if the receptacles 100 are destined fortheir stations.

For both FIGS. 7 and 8, after completion of processing of the items in areceptacle 100 delivered to a destination 150, the items may bedelivered to another station for further processing. For example, theitems may be sorted into their respective orders at a manual orautomated sorting station, and then delivered to a packing station orstations. As another example, the items may be gift-wrapped at agift-wrapping station, and then delivered to a sorting station to besorted into their respective orders. In one embodiment, the processeditems may be placed back into the receptacle 100, or alternatively intoa different receptacle or receptacles 100, which may then be assigned tothe next station or stations for the items in the receptacle(s) 100 bythe control system. Note that, in some embodiments, the motes 102,indicators, and sensors on the receptacles 100 may be configured toperform other functions under direction of the control system tofacilitate processing at the one or more downstream stations than thefunction(s) described herein for the pick process.

FIG. 9 illustrates operations of an exemplary materials processingfacility implementing receptacles with motes and a control systemaccording to one embodiment. In this embodiment, at least someoperations of the materials handling facility may be directed,controlled, monitored, and/or recorded by a materials handling facilitycontrol system 190. Control system 190 may include hardware and softwareconfigured to direct employees of the materials handling facility (suchas agent 142) in the various operations of the materials handlingfacility including one or more of, but not limited to: picking, sorting,packing, and shipping. The hardware of control system 190 may include,but is not limited to, one or more of any of various types of devices,including, but not limited to, personal computer systems, desktopcomputers, laptop or notebook computers, mainframe computer system(s),workstations, network computers, storage systems, printers, or otherdevices.

Communication device 144 may be configured to communicate with controlsystem 190, for example via radio communication, wireless networking,and/or a wired communication protocol, to convey instructions fromcontrol system 190 to agent 142 as to what actions to perform whilepicking items for multiple destinations within the materials handlingfacility. Communication device 144 may include one or more of, but isnot limited to: handheld devices, devices worn by or attached to theagent 142, and devices integrated into or mounted on any mobile or fixedequipment of the materials handling facility such as push carts, bins,totes, racks, shelves, tables, and work benches. Communication device142 may include one or more of, but are not limited to: personalcomputer systems, desktop computers, rack-mounted computers, laptop ornotebook computers, workstations, network computers, “dumb” terminals(computer terminals with little or no integrated processing ability),Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) or other handheld devices,proprietary devices, printers, or any other devices suitable tocommunicate with control system 190. In general, a communication device144 may be any device that can communicate with control system 190 andconvey instructions to agent 142. In one embodiment, communicationdevice 144 may be configured to scan or otherwise read or receive codesor identifiers of various components in the materials handling facility,including the codes of items 132 in inventory, and to communicate theentered codes to the control system 190 for use in directing agent 142in the pick process. Components that may include such codes oridentifiers that may be scanned or otherwise read or received bycommunication device 144 may include one or more of, but are not limitedto, items 132, orders, sorting or other stations, bins, totes,compartments of partitioned totes, and even agents.

In picking, in one embodiment, communication device 144 may receive fromthe control system a list of items to be picked from stock storage 130or from elsewhere in the materials handling facility, and may presentthe list of items to pick to agent 142 via a display portion of thedevice such as a screen. Additional information, such as locationinformation for the items to be picked and information on the ordersthat the picked items are for, may also be displayed. Communicationdevice 144 may also receive from the control system, and display, a listof one or more destinations 150 in the materials handling facility forthe list of items to be picked. Agent 142 may then collect thereceptacles 100 (for example, a container such as a tote, or partitionedcontainers where each partition is a receptacle 100) for the indicateddestinations 150 and place them on the cart 110. Any of a variety ofmethods may be used to assign receptacles 100 to destinations 150, aspreviously described for FIG. 3.

Agent 142 may then pick the items 132 from stock storage 130 or fromelsewhere in the materials handling facility. In one embodiment, as eachitem is picked, an item code of the item 132 may be scanned or otherwiseentered on communication device 144. Alternatively, the agent may selecta button or other mechanism on the communication device 144corresponding to the item to indicate that the item was picked.Communication device 144 may then send a message to control system 190indicating the item picked. Control system 190 may then determine whichdestination 150 the picked item 132 is for, and may send a message tothe mote 102 on the receptacle 100 assigned to that destination 150 toactivate the mote, thus indicating to the agent 142 which receptacle 100on cart 110 the item is to be placed in. Alternatively, push cart 110,each receptacle 100, or communication device 144 may include a proximitydetection mechanism that may detect an RFID tag on each item picked whenthe item is within range of the mechanism. The proximity detectionmechanism may then relay information on the picked item to the controlsystem, which may then send a request message to the appropriate mote102 to activate the indicator of the mote 102 on the receptacle 100assigned to the destination 150 for the item.

In some embodiments, the indicator may be activated prior to the itembeing picked and/or scanned by the agent, for example as soon as thenext item to be picked is known. In one embodiment, for example, whenthe agent 142 begins a pick session, the indicator on a receptacle 100that is the destination receptacle for the first item to be picked maybe activated. After that item is picked and placed in the indicatedreceptacle 100, the indicator on the receptacle that is the destinationreceptacle for the next item to be picked may be activated, and so on.In another embodiment, the agent 142 may select a next item to be pickedon the user interface of the communication device carried by the agent.The communication device may communicate this information to the controlsystem, which may then send a message to the mote 102 on the destinationreceptacle 100 for the item to activate the indicator on the receptacle.Alternatively, the communication device may send a message directly tothe mote on the destination receptacle to activate the indicator. In yetanother embodiment, a proximity detection mechanism, as described above,may detect when the cart is in proximity to the storage area for an itemto be picked in the stock storage area or elsewhere in the materialshandling facility and cause the indicator on the destination receptacleto activate. Other embodiments may use other mechanisms to activate anindicator on a destination receptacle prior to the item being pickedand/or scanned by the agent. For example, in one embodiment the storagebin where the item is located may include a motion detector that detectsmotion of the agent when picking the item and relays this information tothe control system. The control system may then send a message to themote on the destination receptacle for the item to activate theindicator. As another example, in one embodiment, the control system maytrack the location of the agent, cart, and/or receptacles in thematerials handling facility, and may send a message to a mote on areceptacle to activate the indicator on the receptacle when theagent/cart is at or near the location of an item to be picked.

Note that, in some embodiments, one or more of receptacles 100 may bepartitioned into two or more compartments, with each compartmentincluding a mote. In this embodiment, a mote in a particular compartmentmay be activated to indicate to agent 142 which compartment in areceptacle 100 the item is to be placed in. Also note that, in someembodiments, each receptacle 100 (or each compartment in eachreceptacle) may also include a sensor that detects placement of an itemin the receptacle. This information may be sent to the control system190, which may use the information to deactivate the mote, and/or todetermine if the item was placed in the correct receptacle. If it isdetected that the item 132 was placed in an incorrect receptacle, thecontrol system 190 may activate the mote to indicate to the agent 142that the item was placed in the wrong receptacle.

After all the items 132 for all the destinations 150 assigned to theagent 142 in this particular pick session have been picked and placed inthe correct receptacles 100, the completed receptacles may be deliveredor conveyed to their assigned destinations 150 under direction of thecontrol system 190. In this example, a first receptacle 100 is assignedto and delivered, when complete, to destination 150A; a secondreceptacle 100 is assigned and delivered to destination 150B, and athird receptacle 100 is assigned and delivered to destination 150C. Notethat two or more receptacles 100 may be assigned and delivered to onedestination 150 by agent 142 in one pick session. After delivering thereceptacles 100 to their assigned destinations 150, the agent 142 maythen receive a new list of items and destinations and repeat theprocess.

FIG. 10 illustrates an exemplary materials processing facility thatimplements hoppers, with motes, adjacent to a conveyor according to oneembodiment. In this embodiment, one or more hoppers 200 adjacent to aconveyor 210 may be destinations that an agent 142 may pick to in a picksession. In one embodiment, agent 142 may pick items from stock storage130 or from elsewhere in the materials handling facility as directed bycontrol system 190 through communication device 144 carried by the agent142. The agent may then place the picked items 132 directly into hoppers200 as directed by indicators integrated with or coupled to motes 202attached to the hoppers 200 under control of control system 190.

In picking, in one embodiment, communication device 144 may receive fromthe control system a list of items to be picked from stock storage 130or from elsewhere in the materials handling facility, and may presentthe list of items to pick to agent 142 via a display portion of thedevice such as a screen. Additional information, such as locationinformation for the items to be picked and information on the ordersthat the picked items are for, may also be displayed. Communicationdevice 144 may also receive from the control system, and display, a listof one or more hoppers 200 in the materials handling facility that aredestinations for the list of items to be picked.

Agent 142 may then pick the items 132 from stock storage 130 or fromelsewhere in the materials handling facility. In one embodiment, as eachitem is picked, or alternatively after all items are picked (e.g., intoa common bin or tote), an item code of each item 132 may be scanned orotherwise entered on communication device 144. Alternatively, the agentmay select a button or other mechanism on the communication device 144corresponding to the item to indicate that the item was picked.Communication device 144 may then send a message to control system 190indicating the item picked. Control system 190 may then determine whichhopper 200 the picked item 132 is for, and may send a message to themote 202 on the hopper 200 to activate the mote, thus indicating to theagent 142 which hopper 200 the item is to be placed in. Alternatively,each hopper 200 or a group of hoppers 200 may include a proximitydetection mechanism that may detect an RFID tag on each item picked whenthe item is within range of the hopper(s). The proximity detectionmechanism may then relay information on the picked item to the controlsystem, which may then send a request message to the appropriate mote202 to activate the indicator of the mote 202 on the hopper 200 that isthe correct destination for the item.

Note that motes 202 may include or may be coupled to sensors on hoppers200 that may be used to detect and alert agent 142 to the correct orincorrect placement of items in hoppers 200 by agent 142 as describedfor receptacles elsewhere herein.

Each hopper 200 may include a chute 204 via which items placed in thehoppers 200 are periodically or aperiodically moved from the hopper 200onto conveyor 210. Conveyor 210 may be unidirectional or bi-directional.In one embodiment, there may be two or more conveyors 210, with eachhopper 200 emptying items onto one or more of the conveyors 210 via achute 204. On conveyor 210, items may be conveyed to one or morestations 220 for further processing.

Note that a materials handling facility may use a combination of two ormore different types of receptacles with motes including or coupled toindicators and/or sensors as described herein, including hoppers 200adjacent to conveyors 210, in the pick process. For example, in oneembodiment, agent 142 may pick items from stock storage 130 or fromelsewhere in the materials handling facility as directed by controlsystem 190 through communication device 144 and place the picked items132 into one or more receptacles (e.g. totes, bins, a cart, boxes,compartments of a tote or bin, shelves, etc.), possibly as directed bycontrol system 190 via motes with indicators coupled to the receptacles.The agent may then move the picked items 132 from the receptacle(s) tothe hopper(s) 200 as directed by control system 190 via motes 202 withindicators coupled to the hoppers 200. As another example, in oneembodiment, one or more agents may pick items into receptacles on cartsas described for FIG. 9, while one or more other agents may pick itemsinto hoppers 200 as described for FIG. 10. The combination of motes withhoppers as described herein may facilitate an agent sorting picked itemsinto the correct hopper(s). The function of the hoppers may becontrolled to release items onto a conveyor at an appropriate time(s) tomoved items from the hopper to another destination.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a method for performing multi-destination pickusing receptacles with motes according to one embodiment. As indicatedat 400, an agent may be assigned a list of items for two or moredestinations by a control system. In one embodiment, a communicationdevice used by the agent may receive from the control system a list ofitems to be picked from stock storage or from elsewhere in the materialshandling facility, and may present the list of items to pick to agentvia a display portion of the device such as a screen. Additionalinformation, such as location information for the items to be picked andinformation on the orders that the picked items are for, may also bedisplayed. The communication device may also receive from the controlsystem, and display, a list of one or more destinations in the materialshandling facility for the list of items to be picked. As indicated at402, the agent may then obtain the receptacles for the indicateddestinations and place them on a cart. Any of a variety of methods maybe used to assign receptacles to destinations, as previously describedfor FIG. 3. Alternatively, the agent may already have one or morereceptacles on a push cart from a previous pick session, and one or moreof the receptacles on the cart may be reused in the pick session byreassigning the receptacles to different destinations for the picksession.

The agent may then be directed by the control system to, oralternatively may just select and go to, a location in stock storage orelsewhere in the materials handling facility at which an item on thelist of items to be picked is stored. The agent may then pick the itemfrom the location in stock storage or from elsewhere in the materialshandling facility, as indicated at 404. The agent may then scan orotherwise enter the picked item into the agent's communication device,as indicated at 406. Information on the picked item may then be sent tothe control system, which may determine the destination for the pickeditem and send a request message to the appropriate mote to activate theindicator on the receptacle assigned to the destination for the item, asindicated at 408, to indicate to the agent which receptacle the item isto be placed in. Note that, in some embodiments, the indicator may beactivated prior to the item being picked and/or scanned by the agent,for example as soon as the next item to be picked is known, aspreviously described. The agent may then place the item in thereceptacle indicated by the activated mote. The mote may then bedeactivated, as indicated at 412. In one embodiment, the receptacle mayinclude a sensor that detects placement of the item in the mote. Thesensor may then communicate this information to the control system,which may send a message to the mote to deactivate the indicator inresponse to the detection of the placement of the item in thereceptacle. Note that the sensor may also be used to determine placementof the item in the correct receptacle, and to indicate, through theindicator on the mote, that the item was placed in the correct (orincorrect) receptacle, so that an error in the placement of an item intothe destination receptacles may be corrected by the agent beforecontinuing the pick session. Other embodiments may use other methods todeactivate the indicator. For example, the mote (or indicator) may beconfigured to deactivate the indicator after a time interval, forexample ten seconds. As another example, each mote or indicator mayinclude a button or switch that the agent may manually operate todeactivate the indicator after placement of the item in the receptacle.As yet another example, the agent may select an item on a communicationdevice carried by the agent to indicate that the item has been pickedand placed in the receptacle; the communication device may then send arequest message to the mote to deactivate the indicator, oralternatively the communication device may send a message to the controlsystem indicating that the item has been picked and placed in theindicated receptacle. The control system may then send a request messageto the mote to deactivate the receptacle.

As indicated at 414, if there are more items on the list of items to bepicked, the agent may repeat 404 through 412 for each remaining item. Ifall items on the list of items have been picked, then the completedreceptacles may be delivered to their assigned destinations in thematerials handling facility using one of the methods previouslydescribed. After delivering the completed receptacles, the agent mayobtain a new list of items and destinations and perform another picksession for multiple destinations.

Note that, in one embodiment, the receptacles with motes as describedherein may be mobile and dynamically configurable. In one embodiment,there is no fixed number of receptacles that an agent can use in a picksession; different pick sessions may use different numbers ofreceptacles, assigned to different numbers of destinations. The agentmay be directed to take two receptacles on one pick session; fivereceptacles on a next pick session, etc. In one embodiment, the agentmay scan or otherwise enter the receptacles selected for a pick sessionso that the control system knows which receptacles are on the cart for aparticular session, or even the order or arrangement of the receptacleson the cart. The control system decides which receptacles go to whichdestinations. The system is dynamic as to configuring destinations for apick session and mapping the destinations to receptacles. In oneembodiment, an agent may choose how many receptacles and/or destinationsto work on in one pick session, and the control system may adjustdynamically to this constraint provided by the agent by assigning therequested number of receptacles or destinations that the agent is topick to in the pick session.

Since the receptacles with motes may not be in a fixed position, someembodiments may provide a mechanism to dynamically determine where themotes on receptacles are in the materials handling facility and/or on acart. In one embodiment, motes may be configured to detect what theirrelative position in relation to other motes on receptacles bycommunicating among themselves, or their relative position in thematerials handling facility by communicating with other motes or otherfixed and/or mobile devices in the facility.

It may be advantageous for the control system to know where on a carteach receptacle is placed, e.g. on a top or bottom shelf, or a specificlocation on a shelf. Knowing where receptacles are on a cart may allowthe control system to assign destinations to particular receptacles inparticular locations on the cart, for example to assign destinations forwhich a large number of items are to be picked to receptacles that arein more convenient locations on the cart. To determine the relativeposition of receptacles on a cart, in one embodiment, the receptaclesmay be scanned when placed on the cart in some sort of order, forexample left to right, top to bottom. Alternatively, there may be motesand/or sensors on the cart that are configured to detect when areceptacle is placed on the cart, and to determine the location of thereceptacle on the cart. The control system then knows what and how manyreceptacles are on the cart, and the position of each receptacle on thecart, and can use this information to assign destinations to thereceptacles. In one embodiment, the control system may select onereceptacle for the first item picked for a first location, and thenselect another empty receptacle when a first item is picked for anotherdestination. The selection of receptacles for destinations may beperformed randomly, in the order of the receptacles on the cart (e.g.left to right, top to bottom) or, alternatively, in some order tooptimize the picking and placing of items into the receptacles on thecart.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart of a method for detecting and correcting errorsin placing items in destination receptacles according to one embodiment.As indicated at 430, an agent places a picked item in one of two or morereceptacles. In one embodiment, the mote may include an indicatorcoupled to the mote, and the indicator on the correct destinationreceptacle may have been previously activated to indicate to the agentthat the receptacle is the destination receptacle for the item. Inanother embodiment, there may be a sensor but not an indicator on thereceptacle. In this embodiment, some other method may be used toindicate to the agent which receptacle is the destination receptacle forthe item. For example, the destination receptacle may be indicated tothe agent on a communications device carried by the agent. Otherembodiments may use other methods to indicate to the agent whichreceptacle is the destination receptacle for the item.

A sensor on the receptacle, such as a motion detector, may sense theitem being placed in the receptacle, as indicated at 432. Thisinformation may be sent to the control system and/or to thecommunication device carried by the agent. As indicated at 434, if thereceptacle that detected placement of the item is the correctreceptacle, then the pick process may continue. If the receptacle thatdetected placement of the item is not the correct receptacle, anindication may be provided to the agent to inform the agent that theitem was placed in the incorrect receptacle as indicated at 436. Inembodiments, this indication, as previously described, may be a light orother visual indication on the receptacle; a text message displayed onthe receptacle, on the agent's communication device, or on some otherdevice; an audible tone or message from the receptacle, the agent'scommunication device, or some other device; or some other indication, aspreviously described. Note that the indication may remain active untilplacement of the item in the correct receptacle is detected, or may bereactivated after incorrect placement of the item is detected, ifpreviously deactivated. The agent may then take corrective action tomove the item to the destination receptacle for the item, as indicatedat 438. Again, the sensor on the receptacle the item is placed in maydetect the placement of the item, and thus 432 through 436 may berepeated one or more times until the item is placed in the correctreceptacle.

FIG. 13 is a system-level flowchart of a control system directing one ormore agents in picking items for multiple destinations according to oneembodiment. As indicated at 450, a control system, such as controlsystem 190 of FIG. 9, may assign lists of items for two or moredestinations to one or more agents of the materials handling facility.Each agent may then obtain, or alternatively reuse, receptacles for thedestinations. The control system may assign the receptacles obtained byeach agent to the destinations assigned to the agents, as indicated at452.

The control system may then direct the agent(s) to locations in thematerials handling facility to pick the items for the destinations, asindicated at 454. At the locations, the agents may pick items asspecified by the control system. Each picked item may be scanned orotherwise entered on a communication device carried by the agent, or theagent may activate a button or other mechanism on the communicationdevice, to indicate to the control system that the item was picked.Alternatively, a mote coupled to the cart may detect the item when theitem is brought into range of the cart and relay information about theitem to the control system. The control system may then activate theindicator coupled to a mote on a receptacle assigned to the destinationfor the picked item to indicate to the agent that the receptacle is thecorrect receptacle to place the item in, as indicated at 456. In oneembodiment, each receptacle may include some sensing device, such as amotion detector or light curtain, to detect placement of an item in thereceptacle. In this embodiment, placement of an item in the correct orin an incorrect receptacle may be indicated to the agent via the moteand indicator on the receptacle, as previously described.

When an agent has completed picking of all items for all destinationsassigned to the agent, the agent may then deliver the receptacles totheir destination(s). The control system may direct the agent(s) to thedestinations for the receptacles, as indicated at 458. In oneembodiment, the control system may detect when a receptacle is proximateto a destination, and may activate the indicator on the receptacle toindicate to the agent that the receptacle is to be dropped off at thedestination. At 460, if there are more items to be picked, the agent maythen be assigned one or more new lists of items for one or moredestinations to begin a new picking session. If there are currently nomore items to be picked, then the control system may wait for moreorders or requests for items to be picked, which may then be assigned toagents for picking.

Note that the above process may be directed by the control system fortwo or more agents simultaneously. In some embodiments, the controlsystem may include mechanisms to utilize the ability of agents to pickfor two or more destinations in each pick session provided by the moteson receptacles as described herein to increase pick density (e.g., tominimize the distance traveled by agents, and thus time, in pickingitems from inventory). The control system may select two or moredestinations and a picking path for the assigned items for each agentand direct the agents along the picking paths to pick the items, and maythen direct the agent in delivering the completed receptacles to thedestinations along a minimal path. Since each agent can pick to multipledestinations, instead of to just one destination, the control system mayassign destinations to and arrange the picking path for the agent sothat the agent can pick more items in one pass along a path through theinventory than in conventional pick methods where the agent is limitedto picking to one destination at a time. The control system may attemptto minimize the path traveled by each agent in the materials handlingfacility for each pick session by assigning to an agent two or morelists of items for destinations that include items along the same orsimilar path. As previously noted, in one embodiment, a destination fora receptacle may be another picking agent as directed by the controlsystem, who may then continue picking items in the receptacle, which mayprovide improved picking efficiency by allowing agents to pick inassigned regions of the materials handling facility.

In one embodiment, a materials handling facility control system, such ascontrol system 190 illustrated in FIG. 9, may include a general-purposecomputer system that includes or is configured to access one or morecomputer-accessible media, such as computer system 500 illustrated inFIG. 14. In the illustrated embodiment, computer system 500 includes oneor more processors 510 coupled to a system memory 520 via aninput/output (I/O) interface 530. Computer system 500 further includes anetwork interface 540 coupled to I/O interface 530. In some embodiments,computer system 500 may be illustrative of control system 190, while inother embodiments control system 190 may include elements in addition tocomputer system 500.

In various embodiments, computer system 500 may be a uniprocessor systemincluding one processor 510, or a multiprocessor system includingseveral processors 510 (e.g., two, four, eight, or another suitablenumber). Processors 510 may be any suitable processors capable ofexecuting instructions. For example, in various embodiments, processors510 may be general-purpose or embedded processors implementing any of avariety of instruction set architectures (ISAs), such as the x86,PowerPC, SPARC, or MIPS ISAs, or any other suitable ISA. Inmultiprocessor systems, each of processors 510 may commonly, but notnecessarily, implement the same ISA.

System memory 520 may be configured to store instructions and dataaccessible by process 510. In various embodiments, system memory 520 maybe implemented using any suitable memory technology, such as staticrandom access memory (SRAM), synchronous dynamic RAM (SDRAM),nonvolatile/Flash-type memory, or any other type of memory. In theillustrated embodiment, program instructions and data implementingdesired functions, such as those methods and techniques described abovefor a materials handling facility control system, are shown storedwithin system memory 520 as code 525.

In one embodiment, I/O interface 530 may be configured to coordinate I/Otraffic between processor 510, system memory 520, and any peripheraldevices in the device, including network interface 540 or otherperipheral interfaces. In some embodiments, I/O interface 530 mayperform any necessary protocol, timing or other data transformations toconvert data signals from one component (e.g., system memory 520) into aformat suitable for use by another component (e.g., processor 510). Insome embodiments, I/O interface 530 may include support for devicesattached through various types of peripheral buses, such as a variant ofthe Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus standard or theUniversal Serial Bus (USB) standard, for example. In some embodiments,the function of I/O interface 530 may be split into two or more separatecomponents, such as a north bridge and a south bridge, for example.Also, in some embodiments some or all of the functionality of I/Ointerface 530, such as an interface to system memory 520, may beincorporated directly into processor 510.

Network interface 540 may be configured to allow data to be exchangedbetween computer system 500 and other devices on a network, such asother computer systems, for example. In particular, network interface540 may be configured to allow communication between computer system 500and the various communication devices 144 and motes 100 described above.Network interface 540 may commonly support one or more wirelessnetworking protocols (e.g., Wi-Fi/IEEE 802.11, or another wirelessnetworking standard). However, in various embodiments, network interface540 may support communication via any suitable wired or wireless generaldata networks, such as other types of Ethernet network, for example.Additionally, network interface 540 may support communication viatelecommunications/telephony networks such as analog voice networks ordigital fiber communications networks, via storage area networks such asFibre Channel SANs, or via any other suitable type of network and/orprotocol.

In some embodiments, system memory 520 may be one embodiment of acomputer-accessible medium configured to store program instructions anddata as described above. However, in other embodiments, programinstructions and/or data may be received, sent or stored upon differenttypes of computer-accessible media. Generally speaking, acomputer-accessible medium may include storage media or memory mediasuch as magnetic or optical media, e.g., disk or DVD/CD coupled tocomputer system 500 via I/O interface 530. A computer-accessible mediummay also include any volatile or non-volatile media such as RAM (e.g.SDRAM, DDR SDRAM, RDRAM, SRAM, etc.), ROM, etc, that may be included insome embodiments of computer system 500 as system memory 520 or anothertype of memory. Further, a computer-accessible medium may includetransmission media or signals such as electrical, electromagnetic, ordigital signals, conveyed via a communication medium such as a networkand/or a wireless link, such as may be implemented via network interface540.

In one embodiment, the relationship between a control system 190 andcommunication devices 144 may be a server/client type of relationship.For example, control system 190 may be configured as a server computersystem 500 that may convey instructions to and receive acknowledgementsfrom communication devices 144 and receptacles 100. In such anembodiment, communication devices 144 may be relatively simple or “thin”client devices. For example, communication devices 144 may be configuredas dumb terminals with display, data entry and communicationscapabilities, but otherwise little computational functionality. However,it is contemplated that in some embodiments, communication devices 144may be computer systems configured similarly to computer system 500,including one or more processors 510 and various other devices (thoughin some embodiments, a computer system 500 implementing a communicationdevice 144 may have somewhat different devices, or different classes ofdevices, compared to a computer system 500 implementing control system190). It is further contemplated that in some embodiments, thefunctionality of control system 190 may be distributed across some orall of communication devices 144 and/or receptacles 100. That is, insome embodiments, there may be no centralized point of control of theactivity of order fulfillment center agents; rather, communicationdevices 144, receptacles 100, and other devices may function in acooperative, distributed fashion to coordinate the activities of theorder fulfillment center.

CONCLUSION

Various embodiments may further include receiving, sending or storinginstructions and/or data implemented in accordance with the foregoingdescription upon a computer-accessible medium. Generally speaking, acomputer-accessible medium may include storage media or memory mediasuch as magnetic or optical media, e.g., disk or DVD/CD-ROM, volatile ornon-volatile media such as RAM (e.g. SDRAM, DDR, RDRAM, SRAM, etc.),ROM, etc. As well as transmission media or signals such as electrical,electromagnetic, or digital signals, conveyed via a communication mediumsuch as network and/or a wireless link.

The various methods as illustrated in the Figures and described hereinrepresent exemplary embodiments of methods. The methods may beimplemented in software, hardware, or a combination thereof. The orderof method may be changed, and various elements may be added, reordered,combined, omitted, modified, etc.

Various modifications and changes may be made as would be obvious to aperson skilled in the art having the benefit of this disclosure. It isintended that the invention embrace all such modifications and changesand, accordingly, the above description to be regarded in anillustrative rather than a restrictive sense.

1. A materials handling facility, comprising: a plurality ofdestinations for items picked in the materials handling facility; acontrol system configured to: assign a list of items to be picked to anagent in the materials handling facility, wherein the list of itemsincludes items for two or more of the destinations in the materialshandling facility; assign a receptacle to each of the destinations forthe list of items to be picked, wherein each receptacle has a motecomprising a communications interface for communicating with the controlsystem, wherein the mote is coupled to an indicator; direct the agent toa location in the materials handling facility for a particular item tobe picked; and send a message to the mote on the one of the receptaclesassigned to the destination for that item to activate the indicatorcoupled to the mote to indicate to the agent that the item is to beplaced in the indicated receptacle.
 2. The materials handling facilityas recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of destinations include oneor more of sorting stations, packing stations, and stations forperforming value-added services.
 3. The materials handling facility asrecited in claim 1, wherein each receptacle further has a sensor fordetecting placement of an item in the receptacle, and wherein thecontrol system is further configured to deactivate the activatedindicator in response to detection of placement of the item in thereceptacle by the sensor.
 4. The materials handling facility as recitedin claim 1, wherein each receptacle further has a sensor for detectingplacement of an item in the receptacle, and wherein the control systemis further configured to verify and indicate placement of the item inthe correct receptacle assigned to the destination of the item inresponse to detection of placement of the item in the receptacle by thesensor.
 5. The materials handling facility as recited in claim 1,wherein the control system is further configured to activate theindicator on the receptacle assigned to the destination for the item inresponse to the agent entering information about the item on acommunications device configured to communicate the entered informationto the control system.
 6. The materials handling facility as recited inclaim 1, wherein the motes and the control system are configured toparticipate in an ad-hoc network in the materials handling facility. 7.A method, comprising: an agent of a materials handling facility pickingitems on a list of items into two or more receptacles, wherein eachreceptacle has a mote comprising a communications interface forcommunicating with a materials handling facility control system, whereinthe mote is coupled to an indicator, wherein the list of items includesitems for two or more destinations in the materials handling facility,and wherein each of the two or more receptacles is assigned to aparticular one of the destinations; wherein said picking comprises, foreach item picked: entering information about the item on acommunications device configured to communicate the entered informationto the control system; and the control system sending a message to themote on the one of the receptacles assigned to the destination for theitem to activate the indicator coupled to the mote in response to theentered information to indicate to the agent that the item is to beplaced in the indicated receptacle.
 8. The method as recited in claim 7,further comprising: the agent receiving the list of items to be pickedfrom the materials handling facility from the control system on thecommunications device; the agent obtaining the two or more receptacles;and assigning each obtained receptacle to one of the two or moredestinations for the items on the list of items.
 9. The method asrecited in claim 7, wherein the destinations include one or more ofsorting stations, packing stations, and stations for performingvalue-added services.
 10. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein eachreceptacle further has a sensor for detecting placement of an item inthe receptacle, and wherein the method further comprises: the sensordetecting placement of the item in the receptacle; and the controlsystem deactivating the activated indicator in response to saiddetecting placement of the item in the receptacle.
 11. The method asrecited in claim 7, wherein each receptacle further has a sensor fordetecting placement of an item in the receptacle, and wherein the methodfurther comprises: the sensor detecting placement of the item in thereceptacle; and the control system verifying placement of the item inthe correct receptacle in response to said detecting placement of theitem in the receptacle.
 12. The method as recited in claim 7, whereinthe motes and the control system are configured to participate in anad-hoc network in the materials handling facility.
 13. The method asrecited in claim 7, wherein each receptacle is one of a tote, a basket,a box, a bin, a hopper, a shelf, and an induct lane of an automatedsorting mechanism.
 14. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein eachreceptacle is a compartment in one of a partitioned tote, a partitionedbasket, a partitioned box, a partitioned bin, and a partitioned shelf.15. A computer-accessible medium comprising program instructions,wherein the program instructions are configured to implement: providinga list of items to be picked in a materials handling facility to anagent of the materials handling facility, wherein the list of itemsincludes items for two or more destinations in the materials handlingfacility; assigning a receptacle to each of the two or more destinationsfor the items on the list of items, wherein each receptacle has a motecomprising a communications interface and coupled to an indicator;directing the agent in picking the items on the list of items from thematerials handling facility into the two or more receptacles, whereinsaid directing comprises, for each item picked: receiving informationabout the item from a communications device configured to send theinformation entered by the agent; and sending a message to the mote onthe one of the receptacles assigned to the destination for the item toactivate the indicator coupled to the mote in response to said receivingthe information to indicate to the agent that the item is to be placedin the indicated receptacle.
 16. The computer-accessible medium asrecited in claim 15, wherein the destinations include one or more ofsorting stations, packing stations, and stations for performingvalue-added services.
 17. The computer-accessible medium as recited inclaim 15, wherein each receptacle further has a sensor for detectingplacement of an item in the receptacle, and wherein the programinstructions are further configured to implement deactivating theactivated indicator in response to the sensor detecting placement of theitem in the receptacle.
 18. The computer-accessible medium as recited inclaim 15, wherein each receptacle further has a sensor for detectingplacement of an item in the receptacle, and wherein the programinstructions are further configured to implement verifying placement ofthe item in the correct receptacle in response to detecting placement ofthe item in the receptacle.
 19. An apparatus for receiving andtransporting items picked from a materials handling facility to one of aplurality of destinations in the materials handling facility, theapparatus comprising: a receptacle for holding said items; and a mote,comprising: a mote core comprising: a processor; a memory; and; acommunications interface; and an indicator coupled to the mote core;wherein the mote is configured to communicate with a materials handlingfacility control system to activate said indicator in response toinformation about an item received by the control system to indicate toan agent of the materials handling facility that the item is to beplaced in the receptacle.
 20. The apparatus as recited in claim 19,further comprising a sensor configured to detect placement of the itemin the receptacle.
 21. The apparatus as recited in claim 20, wherein themote is further configured to deactivate the activated indicator inresponse to the sensor detecting placement of the item in thereceptacle.
 22. The apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein theindicator comprises a light, wherein said activating the indicatorcomprises activating the light.